Secondhand Smoke

Is Still Damaging Your Health

Our mission is to promote smokefree air through prevention education programs, information dissemination, technical assistance, training, and lobbying. We have decades of experience, and specialize in how to prepare for tobacco industry interference, build support locally, and pass effective smokefree laws.

Happening Now

Atlanta Resurgence

As the 3rd fastest growing metro in the U.S., Atlanta is becoming the go-to city for those who want to work, live, shop, or play in the city’s vibrant landscape. While 7 of the top 10 metro cities on the list are smokefree, Atlanta continues to expose its residents, visitors, and workforce to the toxins of secondhand smoke. Everyone who works in Atlanta should be able to work in a smokefree environment — bartenders, entertainers, musicians, everyone. The same is true for anyone spending time in the city — the air should be clear for the enjoyment of locals and visitors alike. The time is right for a smokefree Atlanta.

Show-Me Smokefree

October 10, 2018 - Read ANR’s statement about recent court rulings that will create delay in St. Louis area smokefree protections. ANR urges area residents to VOTE NO on Prop F in St. Louis County and Vote NO on "Smokefree with Exceptions in St. Charles County." Smoking sections are a tobacco industry gimmick that do not protect against health hazards of secondhand smoke.

Multi-Unit Housing

On July 31, HUD’s rule requiring public housing to be 100% smokefree went into effect, giving public housing residents the ability to breathe easier at home. See our statement on the HUD rule implementation. Smelling the smoke coming from the hall? You are not alone, and you can protect yourself from the harmful effects. Because everyone deserves to breathe smokefree air at home.

41% of U.S. Workers Are Not Protected From Secondhand Smoke.

The darker the state the healthier it is.

The others are not so healthy. In total, the states with lighter blue represent areas where many people are still unprotected from secondhand smoke in their workplace.

Who is At Risk?

Bar, Restaurant, and Casino Workers

Hospitality industry and casino workers still have the lowest level of smokefree protections and have the highest cancer rate of any occupational sector in America. Across the United States, only 58% of workers are fully protected by a local or state law requiring workplaces, and restaurants, and bars to be smokefree. That leaves more than 4 out of 10 workers still unprotected from the serious health risks caused by secondhand smoke.

“I believe that my health mattered and it was up to me to say something, cause they weren’t going to protect me.”

Working for decades in smoke-filled casinos resulted in Sheryl’s battle with throat cancer. You will note that Sheryl’s voice was weak in this recording (2011). Soon after this recording, her voice was too weak to speak at all. She asked us to “be her voice” when she could no longer speak. Sadly, Sheryl lost her battle with cancer on August 3, 2012. We will continue to fight for smokefree air in all casino workplaces, for Sheryl, and for all casino workers. Please join us!

African Americans are Disproportionately Impacted

You Can Make the Difference

As the public has learned more about the health dangers associated with secondhand smoke, people have supported smokefree polices as a way to address this easily preventable cause of premature death and chronic disease.

Cities and states without a smokefree law, or with a weak law that is not 100% smokefree in all workplaces, should take heed and pursue a smokefree law before more workers and residents are unnecessarily placed at risk for disease and possibly death as a result. It’s no longer a question of who will be next to go smokefree, but who will be last.

ANR is here to support smokefree campaigns nationwide. As smokefree campaigns progress, the tobacco industry and its allies will be watching your every move. Big Tobacco will be organizing its allies in the hospitality and gaming industries at this stage, but its activities are typically hidden from the public.

Above all, educate yourself. Forewarned is forearmed!

Do you have a secondhand smoke issue?

ANR Can Help

Our Other Sites

ANR FOUNDATION

Our sister organization, the American Nonsmokers' Rights Foundation (ANR Foundation), is a non-lobbying, educational nonprofit organization (501 (c) 3), which creates smokefree lists and maps, and provides information on issues of smokefree air and tobacco control. Our goals include educating the public about the health effects of secondhand smoke and the benefits of smokefree environments.

Protect Local Control

When a community's elected officials move to protect their citizens against the health hazards of secondhand smoke, the usually influential tobacco companies are suddenly powerless. So they try to close the door to local ordinances via preemption at the state level. ANR has a wealth of materials relating to preemption and local control to help citizens oppose this industry strategy.

Americans for Nonsmokers' Rights is the leading national lobbying organization (501 (c) 4) dedicated to nonsmokers' rights, taking on the tobacco industry at all levels of government, protecting nonsmokers from exposure to secondhand smoke, and preventing tobacco addiction among youth. ANR pursues an action-oriented program of policy and legislation.